Friday, November 20, 2009 11:33 PM CST
Maroa gears up for Marshall's spread offense
Maroa-Forsyth (10-2) at Marshall (11-1)
WHEN: Today, 1:30 p.m.
By JUSTIN CONN, Staff Writer
jconn@herald-review.com
MAROA -- Head coach Josh Jostes and the Maroa-Forsyth players admitted that heart and commitment were lacking through the Trojans’ first seven games this season.
That has changed since, and Maroa (10-2) has won five straight games following its worst start to a regular season since 2004. They'll play Marshall on Saturday in the Class 2A semifinals — their third semifinal in the last six seasons.
But intangibles weren’t all that was missing for Maroa. In what Jostes now says was a mistake, the Trojans decided before the season to change their defense to a 3-5 (three linemen and five linebackers) after using mostly a 5-3 during Jostes’ first nine seasons as coach.
"We thought we had more good linebackers than defensive linemen," Jostes said. "We know what's worked for us over the years, but we over-thought the situation."
After shutting out six opponents last year, Maroa allowed an average of 18 points per game through its first seven games — including 28 points in losses to St. Teresa and Tuscola.
"Our defense was confused and frustrated," said Maroa's leading tackler, senior linebacker Dalton Coventry. "We were wanting that type of success. We were expecting that type of success. But we weren't executing and we weren't playing up to our potential. Part of it was that we weren't playing with heart. But a lot of it had to do with that set."
Following the loss to Tuscola, Maroa scrapped the 3-5 and went back to the 5-3.
"We’d always been a 50 defense," Jostes said. "It wasn’t going well, and after the Tuscola game was about the time where we said, we’re going back to what we are."
In the first game after the change, Central A&M scored 35 points against the Trojans, who hung on to win 42-35. But since then, they’ve allowed an average of just five points per game — including holding A&M to six points in the teams’ rematch in last Saturday’s quarterfinal game.
"Now we're daring teams to throw the ball against us. It's like (Central A&M coach Mark Ramsey) said, maybe they had to go to the pass a little earlier than they wanted to," Jostes said. "Then when you have Wyatt (Washburn) and (Justin) Barnes back there (in the defensive backfield), and Quavell Hampton who has came in and done a solid job, we're pretty athletic back there."
Sophomore defensive end Aaron Ford was one of the players inserted into the lineup when Maroa made the switch. He said the change has allowed the defense to put more pressure on opposing offenses.
"I was really happy they made the change because it gave me the chance to play, and I was going to make sure it worked well so I could keep my spot," Ford said, laughing. "And it's worked pretty darn well. We're getting more heat on the quarterback and it's harder for offenses to run block us."
The 3-5 is a popular defense at the high school level. Elmhurst Immaculate Conception used it last year to win the Class 2A state title. Tuscola uses it and will be shooting for its eighth shutout of the season in the Class 1A semifinals on Saturday.
But, according to Coventry, Maroa's personnel didn’t fit the scheme.
"Our linebackers were at a size disadvantage," Coventry said. "If you look at our size, we had 170-pound linebackers trying to take on 250-pound guys. The linemen we put in when we switched are around 200 pounds. They have a lot better chance of taking on those big guys.
"I still think the 3-5 is the best defense you can run," Coventry said. "We thought it would allow us to get a lot of pressure and confuse the offense. But it just didn't work out for us."
In addition to Ford, who has also earned a starting spot on the offensive line, Jostes inserted junior Wesley Beach at defensive end and junior Justin Harrelson at nose guard.
"Wesley Beach had never touched a varsity field and, really, we didn’t expect a whole lot out of any of those three kids coming into the season," Jostes said. "We thought maybe they’d be good in the future, but the future turned out to be now. They've solidified everything,"
A more effective line in turn freed linebackers Coventry, Tyler Marsh and Alex Chiligiris from blockers. Coventry and Marsh are the team's leading tacklers, and Chiligiris has flourished since the switch.
"We have five linemen to fill every single gap, so not much gets by our line," Ford said. "But if someone does get by us, we have our linebackers there waiting. Dalton is just a monster."
Marshall, which is the first team Maroa has faced in the playoffs that runs a spread offense, will force Maroa out of its five-man front. The Trojans will likely run mostly 4-3 and 4-4, but their philosophy won’t change: Use the defensive line to keep offensive linemen off the linebackers and make their opponent throw the ball to beat them.
"We’re back to the style we’re accustomed to playing," Jostes said. "Our kids are playing what they’re used to and our defensive coach (Tony Klein) is back to what he’s used to calling. Really, it was like it would be if I scrapped our offense and tried to run the wing-T. I wouldn’t be very good at that, either."
NOTES
PLAYOFF RECORD: Maroa-Forsyth is 29-13; Marshall is 15-22.
RECORD VS. PLAYOFF TEAMS: Maroa-Forsyth is 5-2; Marshall is 6-1.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: For Marshall, Taylor Duncan (Sr., QB/DB, 82-of-163 passing, 1,336 yards, 15 TDs; 192 carries, 903 yards rushing, 17 TDs); Andrew Strohm (So., RB, 1,090 yards, 10 TDs); Jared Boyll (So., LB, 105 tackles); Dalton Sanders (Sr., DL, 16 sacks).
For Maroa-Forsyth, Dalton Coventry (Sr., RB/LB, 112 carries, 793 yards, 14 TDs; 126 tackles, 15 tackles for loss); Wyatt Washburn (Sr., WR/DB, 60 catches, 940 yards, 10 TDs; 3 INTs, 11 passes broken up); Logan Stelzriede (So., QB, 94-for-161 passing, 1,343 yards, 13 TDs, 4 INTs); Justin Barnes (Sr., RB/WR/DB, 363 yards rushing, 5 TDs; 80 yards receiving, TD; 281 yards passing, 3 TDs; 34 tackles, INT, 4 passes broken up).
Key matchups
Maroa-Forsyth linebackers vs. Marshall quarterback Taylor Duncan According to sources familiar with Marshall, the Lions are similar to Meridian's team last year. Their quarterback is Eastern Illinois University signee Taylor Duncan, who — like Dakota Getz for Meridian last year — is a big guy, run/pass threat who will force defenders to the line of scrimmage to stop him from running, then find the man left open with the pass. After a somewhat slow start, Duncan caught fire in Week 6 and has been hot ever since. Casey slowed him in last week's quarterfinal, but Duncan still managed both of Marshall's touchdowns.
And, like Meridian last year, there aren't many standouts after Duncan. Andrew Strohm, a sophomore running back, has 1,009 yards and 10 TDs, but was limited against Casey by back spasms.
Basically, the more Dalton Coventry that Taylor Duncan sees, the better for Maroa.
Maroa quarterback Logan Stelzriede and receiver Wyatt Washburn vs. Marshall defensive backs For the season, Marshall has allowed just 9.7 points per game. And the Lions' defense limited a Casey team that averaged 43.9 points per game this season to seven points in regulation and under 200 yards for the game.
But Casey chose to be mostly a run team. Warriors quarterback Brett Livvix was just 4-of-7 for 17 yards and two interceptions against Marshall. As good as their defense has been, they haven't faced a team with the weapons in the passing game Maroa has.
Stelzriede to Washburn has been a sure thing recently. The two have hooked up for long touchdowns in each of the past two games.
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